Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, P...

New York, Jun 14, 2006

LOT 287

"Il Destriero Scafusia" International Watch Co., Schaffhausen, "Il Destriero Scafusia", No. 67/125. Made in a limited edition of 125 examples in 1993. Extremely fine and rare, oversized, astronomic, minute-repeating, 18K yellow gold gentleman's wristwatch with flying one-minute tourbillon regulator, square button split-seconds chronograph, registers, secular perpetual calendar, moon phases and an 18K pink gold International Watch Co. buckle. Accompanied by an original fitted box and certificate.

USD 200,000 - 250,000

EUR 160,000 - 200,000

Sold: USD 192,150

C. Three-body, solid, polished, curved lugs, transparent case back with 6 screws and peripheral engraving, onyx-set winding crown, sapphire crystals. D. Satiné silver with painted radial Roman numerals, sunk subsidiary dials for the seconds, the 12-hour and 30-minute registers, the date, days of the week, the months, apertures for the moon phases and the 4-digit year. Blued steel "feuille" hands. M. Cal. 1868, hand-engraved, gilt brass, 76 jewels, lateral lever escapement with one-minute flying tourbillon regulator with titanium cage and 3 equidistant arms, monometallic balance adjusted to heat, cold, and 6 positions, shock-absorber, self-compensating Breguet balance-spring, repeating on gongs by activating slide on the band. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 42 mm. Thickness 12 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 2

Very good
Dial: 2-01

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

A true work of art, the "Destriero" was especially developed to celebrate the 125th Anniversary of the International Watch Co. in Schaffhausen in 1993. Produced in a limited edition of 125 examples only in yellow gold, rose gold and platinum, roughly 107 pieces of this edition had been finished by mid-2000, with the last watch finished on Dec. 31, 1999 at 11:59:59 PM. The Cal. 1868 contains no fewer than 750 parts, individually manufactured, hand-finished and adjusted, in order to ensure minimal friction and the harmonious interaction of its 22 complex functions and displays. Like the "Da Vinci", it is a secular perpetual calendar watch with a four-digit display for the year, an IWC exclusive. IWC also holds a patent on the minute-repeater slide mechanism, built to protect the movement from moisture and dust, a problem sometimes associated with less sophisticated slides. For the tourbillon mechanism alone, almost 100 tiny parts had to be made, of a total weight of merely 0.296 grams. The innovative use of non-magnetic and lightweight titanium for the cage ensures an unrivaled standard of accuracy. A true masterpiece, the "Destriero" is assembled and regulated with utmost care, as one would expect from this reputable maker.